March Is Red Cross Month: Be a Hero in Your Community

Volunteer, give blood, learning lifesaving skills or donate to #help1family on American Red Cross Giving Day

PROVIDENCE, R.I.– March 7, 2019 — March is Red Cross Month, and the American Red Cross Rhode Island asks people to be a hero for families in Rhode Island by becoming a volunteer, learning lifesaving skills, giving blood or donating to #help1family on Red Cross Giving Day, March 27.

“During Red Cross Month, we are proud to recognize our volunteers who provide hope and urgent relief to families in need every day,” said Susan Roberts, Executive Director, American Red Cross Rhode Island. “These heroes are our neighbors who give blood, save lives with skills like first aid and CPR, or provide care and comfort to families devastated by crises like home fires. We honor our volunteers and ask you to join them and make a difference.”

More than 75 years ago, March was first proclaimed Red Cross Month in 1943 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to raise awareness of the organization and its humanitarian mission. All U.S. presidents since Roosevelt have designated March as Red Cross Month to recognize how the American Red Cross helps people across the country and around the world through its workforce powered by more than 90 percent volunteers.

EVERY DAY, VOLUNTEERS HELPEvery eight minutes in the U.S., the Red Cross connects with a family who has lost everything to a home fire or other disaster—the roof over their heads, their clothes, their most cherished possessions. This past year was no exception—and the need continues today.

Last year, Red Cross volunteers helped millions of people reeling from a second consecutive year of record wildfires, hurricanes, tragic shootings and other large disasters across the country. More than 400 volunteer heroes from Rhode Island responded to deliver urgent relief and care in people’s darkest hours right here at home and across the country.

This winter, home fires continued to upend lives—when there’s often an increased risk of home heating and cooking fires. Just in 2018, local volunteers assisted more than 500 families affected by home fires, power outages, hazardous materials releases, transportation accidents and storms in Rhode Island.

Become a volunteer: Help families affected by disasters and install lifesaving smoke alarms to keep neighbors safe from home fires. In some areas, you can also provide emergency assistance for military members and veterans, or help reconnect families separated by international conflict.

Learn lifesaving skills: Register for a class to learn first aid, CPR and other skills, www.redcross.org/takeaclass.

Join us for the 2019 Red Cross Heroes Ball: On Saturday, March 23, join us as we honor blood drive sponsors, blood drive volunteers and blood donors who help save lives. For more information and for tickets, visit www.redcross.org/redcrossball.

Make a financial donation: On March 27—American Red Cross Giving Day—donate atwww.redcross.org/givingday,uniting with thousands of people like you to help families during the first devastating hours of a disaster. Your gift can provide hope and urgent relief, like food, shelter and other essentials, for families who need it most